Tier One Talent

The research that can be undertaken with Tier One resources offers an institution the chance to pursue important, even ground-breaking work. Meanwhile, professors and students alike are already forging a path to a bright future that includes using science and engineering to forge new discoveries.

Professor to Unlock Science Behind Motherhood

An interest in fluid dynamics as well as women’s health issues helped Dr. Fatemeh Hassanipour land a $500,000 National Science Foundation grant to study the mechanics of breastfeeding.
The assistant professor of mechanical engineering plans to use computerized models and to build a fully controlled model of the breast to mimic breastfeeding and to study and experiment with the breast ductal system. read more

Engineers Create Tough, Flexible Material

Researchers at UT Dallas have created new structures that exploit the electromechanical properties of specific nanofibers to stretch to up to seven times their length, while remaining tougher than Kevlar. Dr. Majid Minary, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, said the goal is to produce a lightweight, flexible and strong material for industrial and defense applications. read more

Study Challenges Theory on Unconscious Memory

Work by a UT Dallas researcher who tested brain wave patterns while giving memory tests to amnesia patients has challenged a long-accepted theory about the role the hippocampus plays in the unconscious memory.
Dr. Richard Addante, a senior lecturer in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, hopes his findings will inspire further research. read more

Synthetic Biology Yields New Approach to Gene Therapy

Bioengineers at UT Dallas have created a novel gene-delivery system that shuttles a gene into a cell, but only for a temporary stay, providing a potential new gene-therapy strategy for treating disease. The UT Dallas study describes proof-of-concept experiments in which a gene carrying instructions to make a particular protein is ordered to self-destruct once the cell has “read” the instructions and completed the task. read more

Nanotech Discoveries Move from Lab to Marketplace

An agreement between UT Dallas and Lintec of America is expected to propel scientific discoveries from the University’s laboratories into the global marketplace and create jobs in North Texas. The patented process transforms tiny tubes of carbon into useful large-scale structures that are super-strong and extremely light. read more

Team Studies Expression vs. Emotions in Autism

New research by UT Dallas scientists suggests that individuals with autism spectrum disorder can have very expressive faces but that the emotions conveyed can sometimes seem overly intense and unusual.
The study helped researchers examine how emotional expressivity differs in ASD under realistic conditions and may be used to help people with ASD.
read more

Engineer Uses Robot Theory to Improve Prosthetics

Research led by a UT Dallas professor has created a new prosthetic devise that responds to the wearer’s environment and helps amputees walk. Wearers of the robotic leg could walk on a treadmill almost as fast as an able-bodied person. “We borrowed from robot control theory to create a simple, effective new way to analyze the human gait cycle,” said Dr. Robert Gregg, of the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. read more

'Blurring' of Brain Networks May Lead to Poor Memory

New research from the Center for Vital Longevity (CVL) at UT Dallas suggests that too much connectivity in the brain actually plays a role in worsening memory. Dr. Gagan Wig and his colleagues used functional MRI brain scans to examine how brain networks are composed of segregated sub-networks and found that the more connections had forged between a brain’s sub-networks, the poorer a person’s memory was. read more